Mangalore, April 6: Remnant of Portuguese history in Mangalore is now in the safe protective hand of Rosario Cathedral after painstaking efforts for many years. This tombstone dating back to 1629, pertaining to the Portuguese Captain of the first fortress.
This tombstone was first found in 2009 behind “Haleya Kote Mukhyaprana Temple “opposite the confluence of Nethravati and Gurupura rivers with the Arabian Sea.
The inscriptions were deciphered by experts as a result of the relentless efforts by a local guy and roughly translated to”Domingos de Mourao Coutinho, the captain of the fortress of Mangalore, who died on April 30, 1629.
Experts suspect that the tombstone has been installed over his grave which was located within first church in Mangalore the portugues”Nossa Se nora de Rosario’ known as church in the sand, (Poyeda igarji in Tulu)
It is only because of this existing monument related to Portuguese Fort, Old Mangalore’s history has been created since 1500s, it elaborates.
This historic tombstone, which was lying for ages can be preserved and viewed by the public that is only due to the sheer efforts of Rosario Cathedral Parish priest Fr.Stany Goveas Steven Fernandez (Gurkar of Ignatius ward) and owner of the plot.
The tombstone has been aesthetically set alongside a stone from 1712 that has long existed at Rosario Cathedral.
